Methods and devices for predicting and/or detecting seizures

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and devices for predicting, preventing, detecting and/or treating seizures. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods/devices for predicting a seizure prior to its inception, wherein the seizure is predicted based upon neuronal activity in the CA3 region of a patient's hippocampus.

That which is claimed: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 detecting neuronal activity in the CA3 region of a patient's hippocampus; 
 analyzing the detected neuronal activity to predict a seizure; and 
 administering treatment in response to the step of analyzing the detected neuronal activity, 
 wherein said analyzing step comprises comparing the detected neuronal activity with neuronal activity that was detected in the CA3 region of the patient's hippocampus and/or an at least one alternate region prior to and/or during a previous seizure. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting neuronal activity in at least one alternate region of the patient's brain. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein, said at least one alternate region of the patient's brain comprises one or more regions selected from the group consisting of the Schaffer collateral region of the hippocampus, the CA1 region of the hippocampus, the CA2 region of the hippocampus, the perforant pathway, the subiculum, the entorhinal cortex and neocortical regions. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting step comprises using one or more electrodes to detect electrical impulses generated by one or more neurons. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting step comprises detecting electrical impulses using one or more electrodes configured to detect electrical impulses generated by a single neuron. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said detecting step comprises detecting electrical impulses using one or more electrodes configured to detect electrical impulses generated by a plurality of neurons. 
     
     
       7. The method  claim 1 , wherein said analyzing step comprises predicting future neuronal activity based upon the detected neuronal activity. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein predicting future neuronal activity based upon the detected neuronal activity comprises the use off predictive algorithm. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said analyzing step comprises comparing the detected neuronal activity with neuronal activity that was detected in the CA3 region and/or the at least one alternate region of one or more others patients prior to and/or during a seizure. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said analyzing step comprises comparing the detected neuronal activity with a neuronal activity signature associated with one or more types of seizure. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said analyzing step comprises analyzing the detected neuronal activity, using a computer program product comprising computer-readable code embodied in a computer-readable non-transient storage medium. 
     
     
       12. A method, comprising:
 predicting a seizure in a patient; and 
 delivering a stimulus to one or more regions of the patient's brain to inhibit and/or prevent the propagation of the seizure, wherein said predicting and/or detecting step comprises the method of  claim 1 . 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein a stimulus is delivered to one or more regions selected from the group consisting of the CA3 region of the hippocampus, the Schaffer collateral region of the hippocampus, the CA1 region of the hippocampus, the CA2 region of the hippocampus, the perforant pathway, the subiculum, the entorhinal cortex, the cerebellum and neocortical regions. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein delivering a stimulus to one or more regions of the patient's brain to inhibit and/or prevent the propagation of the seizure comprises delivering one or more electrical impulses to each of the stimulated regions. 
     
     
       15. The method of any  claim 12 , wherein said predicting and/or detecting step comprises analyzing neuronal activity using a computer program product comprising computer-readable code embodied in a computer-readable non-transient storage, medium. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said delivering step comprises using one or more electrodes to deliver one or more electrical impulses to the patient's brain. 
     
     
       17. A device comprising:
 a controller operatively connected to one or more electrodes, 
 wherein at least one of said one or more electrodes is configured to, detect neuronal activity in the CA3 region of a patient's hippocampus, and 
 wherein said controller is configured to predict a seizure based upon the neuronal activity detected in the CA3 region of a patient's hippocampus and a comparison of the detected neuronal activity with the neuronal activity that was detected in the CA3 region of the patient's hippocampus prior to and/or during a previous seizure, 
 wherein at least one of said one or more electrodes is configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to a region of the patient's hippocampus, and 
 wherein said controller is further configured to activate one or more of the electrodes configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to the region of the patient's hippocampus responsive to predicting and/or detecting the seizure. 
 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 17 , wherein the region of the patient's hippocampus comprises the CA3 region. 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 18 , wherein activation of said one or more of the electrodes configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to the CA3 region of the patient's hippocampus inhibits and/or prevents propagation of the seizure. 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 17 , wherein said controller is configured to predict future neuronal activity based upon the detected neuronal activity. 
     
     
       21. The device of  claim 20 , wherein said controller is configured to predict future neuronal activity based upon the detected neuronal activity using of a predictive algorithm. 
     
     
       22. The device of  claim 17 , wherein said controller is configured to compare the detected neuronal activity with neuronal activity that was detected in the CA3 region and/or the at least one alternate region of one or more others patients prior to and/or during a seizure. 
     
     
       23. The device of  claim 17 , wherein said controller is configured to compare the detected neuronal activity with a neuronal activity signature associated with one or more types of seizure. 
     
     
       24. A device comprising:
 a controller operatively connected to a plurality of electrodes, 
 wherein one or more of said plurality of electrodes is configured to detect neuronal activity in the CA3 region of a patient's hippocampus, 
 wherein one or more of said plurality of electrodes is configured to detect neuronal activity in an alternate region of the patient's brain, and 
 wherein said controller is configured to predict a seizure based upon the neuronal activity detected in the CA3 region of a patients hippocampus and the alternate region of the patient's brain and a comparison of the detected neuronal activity with the neuronal activity that was detected in the CA3 region of the patient's hippocampus and/or the at least one alternate region prior to and/or during a previous seizure, wherein one or more of said plurality of electrodes is configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to a region of the patient's hippocampus, and 
 wherein said controller is further configured to activate one or more of the electrodes configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to the region of the patient's hippocampus responsive to predicting and/or detecting the seizure. 
 
     
     
       25. The device of  claim 24 , wherein the region of the patient's hippocampus comprises the CA3 region. 
     
     
       26. The device of  claim 24 , wherein one or more of said plurality of electrodes is configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to the alternate region of the patient's brain, and
 wherein said controller is further configured to activate one or more of the electrodes configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to the alternate region of the patient's brain responsive to predicting and/or detecting the seizure. 
 
     
     
       27. The device of  claim 26 , wherein activation of said one or more of the electrodes configured to deliver an electrical stimulus to the alternate region of the patient's brain inhibits and/or prevents propagation of the seizure. 
     
     
       28. The device of  claim 24 , wherein said alternate region of the patient's brain comprises the Schaffer collateral region of the patient's hippocampus, the CA1 region of the hippocampus, the CA2 region of the hippocampus, the perforant pathway, the subiculum, the entorhinal cortex, the cerebellum and/or neocortical regions.